Versteeg pots two goals in third period as goalie Tim Thomas plays first complete game in 17 months

September 28, 2013|By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

SUNRISE — Veteran winger Brad Boyes was relieved that he wouldn't have to Skype his 2-year-old daughter Taylor or his pregnant wife, Elissa, back home in Toronto for too much longer after he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers Saturday morning, thus ending a limbo-like status that he's never experienced before.

Several hours later Boyes celebrated his contract with his second goal of the preseason off a sweet feed from Kris Versteeg to help the Panther down the Lightning 5-3 at the BB&T Center. Versteeg added the game-winner and an empty-netter in the third period for his first goals since returning from anterior cruciate ligament surgery in March.

Panthers forward Marcel Goc took a puck to the face and defenseman Erik Gudbranson sustained an upper-body injury after being rammed into the boards by Lightning's Richard Panik in the second period. Neither returned, but coach Kevin Dineen said Gudbranson was,"banging on his door,'' to return, and Goc was kept out as a precaution.

Panthers goalie Tim Thomas played his first complete game in 17 months, and gave up three goals, but one softie (19 saves), however, Jesse Winchester and Scott Gomez added goals to help Florida snap its four-game losing streak and end the preseason at 3-1-3. The Panthers will meet Tampa Bay (5-2) for real on Oct. 10 in the Lightning's home-opener.

"[Thomas] just gives us a level of confidence,'' Dineen said.

In addition to Boyes, the Panthers solidified their tentative 23-man opening-night roster by signing veteran defenseman Tom Gilbert, who like Boyes was invited to training camp on a professional tryout, and by bringing back enforcer-type forward Krys Barch in a trade with the Devils.

"I haven't seen my daughter in several weeks, now she's speaking more with a little attitude and she'd give the phone a kiss or a hug,'' Boyes said. "There's that definite sense of relief.''

Both Boyes, and Gilbert, 30, a seven-year NHLer with Edmonton and Minnesota, will receive an estimated $1 million. The Panthers will inherit Barch's $750,000 salary after shipping center Scott Timmins with a 2014 sixth-round draft pick to New Jersey, who gave Florida its 2015 seventh-round selection.

"Boyes and [Patrice] Bergeron were bright spots on the team that year; they had breakout years,'' said Thomas, who played with Boyes in Boston in 2006-07. "He's got the natural scoring touch. If he gets in the right spot with the right amount of time he's going to score more often than not.''

The Panthers have been missing that fourth-line toughie since trading George Parros to Montreal last summer. Barch, 33, played 41 games for Florida in the 2011-12 season and notched five points with 91 PIMs, incuding 12 fights.

"He was a big piece of our team a few years ago, especially we didn't have the toughest team,'' Versteeg said. "He keeps other teams pretty honest and … he's not just a tough guy, he can be a pest out there and cause a ruckus.''

Barch has had 100 fights during his seven-year career, according to Hockeyfights.com.

Bergenheim skates

For the first time this preseason forward Sean Bergenheim skated with the team during morning skate Saturday, albeit in a non-contact yellow jersey.

Dineen said that Bergenheim, who is slowly recovering from surgeries on his hip and abdomen, is improving, but still, "has a ways to go.'' …

Veteran forward Bobby Butler cleared waivers and will report to San Antonio.